The Rabbit Is The Way
by VerelLupin
Summary: Just random fics about the Inception family during the holidays. Mostly D/A.
1. White Rabbit Leading

**I have been wanting to do a holiday set of stories for years but I have never found the right fandom. **

**So this is the first of I have no idea how many. (be gentle.)**

**Enjoy...**

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"Tell me again how we got roped into this?" Arthur asked.

"It's Philli's ninth birthday and she wanted a costume party." Eames responded.

"I know why we got dressed up. What I mean is why did I trust you to get the costumes and let you wear that one instead of this." Arthur said pointing to his immaculate suit completely with fancy pocket watch.

"Because you didn't know where to get them, you love your goddaughter and Ariadne asked."

"Ah, that's the reason."

"Besides, I don't look that good in white."

"Are you guys ever going to knock or are you gonna stand there talking forever?" came a voice from behind them. "This isn't exactly light."

Both men turned around to face their friend and colleague, Dominic Cobb.

"Nice hat," Eames said and promptly knocked on the door.

"James don't climb on that." came Ariadne's voice from inside. She opened the door and began to laugh. "Oh, I'm so glad I have this," she said and snapped a picture.

The flash went off before any of them could react. Dazed Arthur and Eames were easily parted to let the hat wearing man pass them.

"I'm so glad, you agreed to wear this. You look great." She said straightening out his coat.

"Honey, the cake?" Dom said lifting the pastry.

"Oh, off course. I'm sorry." She said and moved out of the way so he could slide past her.

"It's ok." He replied giving her a peck before disappearing into the house.

"That is still weird."

Ariadne put her hand on her hip and eyed him and Eames up and down, "that coming from a grown man dressed as a bunny."

"I'm a hare." Arthur said indignantly.

"Hare, shmare, you're still adorable either way."

"Shut up, Eames."

"No, seriously. You're so fluffy I could die."

"Touch the tail again and you will."

Ariadne muffled a laugh and led them in. "You can put the presents on that table and food and drinks are outside on the patio." She turned and gave them a quick hug. "Thanks for dressing up, this means a lot to her.

"Our pleasure, where is the darling princess, anyway."

"I'm not a princess. I'm the queen of hearts."

Arthur, Eames and Ariadne all looked at the little girl squirming to get down from her father's arms. "Daddy, put me down."

"Yes, your highness." Dominic bent down and let go of the little girl.

"Uncle Eames, you look just like a playing card."

"That's because I'm the Knave of Hearts." He bowed and kissed the little girl's hand, "at you service, my queen."

She giggled and spread the skirt of her dress in a curtsy just like Ariadne had taught her.

"Happy Birthday, Phillipa."

"Thank you, Uncle Arthur. I like your ears. Can I touch them?"

Arthur smiled and dropped to the ground. She rubbed the soft white material and smiled at him. "They're really soft."

"You should feel his tail." Eames said innocently.

Ariadne hit him and Dominic just smirked as he rubbed where she had punched him.

"Thank you. I dressed up just for you." Arthur said tapping her nose affectionately while ignoring Eames completely.

"The white rabbit is my favorite."

"Well now I feel extra special." Arthur replied and let her guide him, talking nonstop the whole way, off to the porch where the rest of party was taking place.

"You guys did a nice job," Eames commented admiring the paper lamps and puffy paper teapots that dotted the way to the kitchen.

"Thanks but Ariadne deserves all the credit. She's the one that got all the decorations and the costumes." Dominic said hugging the woman to him.

"It wasn't that hard," she said waving off his compliment. "Come on you two, we should go cut the cake now, so she can open her presents."

"We'll be right there."

She left and both men admired the view. "Eames, I'll let that slide because its my little girl's party and I'm in a good mood but if you ogle Ari like that again, you'll really need an eye patch."

Eames chuckled and reached into his pocket. "You are known for being crazy so I promise not to drool over the very short skirt and schoolgirl look she's sporting. At least not within your view though I can't speak for Arthur."

He handed Dom the box he had procured for him and asked, "I thought you and her were gonna dress up as the red queen and king, what happened?"

"Philippa wanted her and Ariadne to both be Alice but I thought that would be creepy, you know."

Eames nodded wisely. Cobb's daughter as young Alice and Ariadne as adult Alice would have looked wrong given the fact that her and Cobb were dating. "That would have met with some interesting comments, I agree. The kids like her a lot then?"

"Yes, it's a relief." Cobb said and opened the box Eames had handed him.

"Whoa," Eames whistled at the ring nestled inside. "That is some rock, is that big enough or do you want it visible from space?"

"It is a bit bigger than I remember."

"A bit?"

"Hey this is what happens when you entrust something like this to Saito. I should have known better. Think she'll like it?" He asked nervously.

"Dominic, it could be from a Cracker Jack box. She would take it as long as it came from you. She's as madly in love with you as you are with her."

"Thanks, for bringing it. Can I get you a drink or are you the designated driver?" Dom asked slinging an arm over the forger's shoulder.

"I though you'd never ask."

Outside Arthur had been helping Ariadne move plates aside to make room for the cake as well as rounding up the rest of the children. He looked up and saw Eames give Dominic a small box.

**'****Is that...?'**

He looked at Ariadne but she hadn't noticed anything, she was too busy talking and directing guests to the food, taking pictures of Philippa and oohing appropriately over every gift.

Drinks in hand the men wandered back to the party. Dom handed Arthur one while covertly searching for her. "She's over there."

Cobb clinked his glass, "Thanks."

He snuck up behind her and she squealed in surprise knocking off his hat by accident. She picked it up, said something and he laughed.

Philippa waved her little scepter and Ariadne nudged him. Dom went back inside and came out with an Alice in Wonderland cake. She lighted the candles, Eames turned off the lights and the whole family sang Happy Birthday.

Arthur watched as she meticulously removed the candles and Dominic put a stack of paper plates in front of her. She cut and he passed the cake. She sat and lifted James onto her lap and he wiped the child's face. He took James from her lap and up into his arms and she fed him a piece from her plate.

They thanked everybody for coming and together cleaned up the mess, mostly him since she was off seeing the rest of their family. Stephen and Madelyn handed Dom an envelope and they too left.

The patio was now back in its pristine condition and the three of them retired to the living room while Dom put the kids to bed. Him and Eames waited until Dominic returned to say their goodbyes.

The two friends waved at the couple in the doorway and got into Arthur's car. "He's asking her tonight, isn't he?"

"Did you see them?" Eames asked.

Arthur glanced at his rear view mirror. They were still in the doorway; she was wearing his hat and looking up at him and he was looking back at her with his hand dangerously close to the bottom of her skirt.

"I never put the Mad Hatter and Alice together when I read the story." Arthur replied.

"I never read the story." Eames said looking at the same image Arthur was glancing at, "but it makes sense now. Are you ok?"

"It was a crush, nothing like what they have. I'm actually happy that we didn't work out, it gave Dom a chance to get to know her outside of work, I am happy for them."

"Its because of you that they are this way. Remember she followed the white rabbit, that is how she ended up in Wonderland and met Hatter."

"That's true." Arthur said proudly. "You want me to drop you off."

"Nah, I'll crash at your place. I might meet someone there too."

Arthur laughed, "in your dreams, Eames."


	2. The Silver Lining in the Valentine Cloud

**I'm so late but I'm terrible with deadlines. I'm hoping to do Fourth of July before October. We'll see.**

**Enjoy**

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"No kids, no job and no team mates."

"What do you want to do?"

"Are we finally going to have that date you promised me six months ago?"

"You make it sound like I never take you anywhere," Cobb looked up from his paperwork and glared at his petite companion.

Said companion lounged on the couch so only the very top of her head and the tips of her toes were visible to him. "You don't. I'm always cooped up in here." She threw her arms ups and dramatically fake sobbed.

He wondered when it was exactly that Eames had begun rubbing off on her. "Didn't you come home at three in the morning yesterday?"

"Technically today." She said waving her hand in his general direction.

"So you are not cooped up in any sense of the word." He said resuming his scribbling.

"Ok, so I go out but not with you." She sat up and peered over the edge of the sofa widening her eyes until she resembled a doe.

Cobb put down his pencil and looked at her, "we haven't been to the movies in a while."

She looked at him suspiciously and then grabbed her phone. "You're not agreeing strictly because its Valentine's Day, are you?"

She raised her phone and he saw the big red 14 on her calendar app. "That it just so happens to be the 14th has nothing to do with it. I figured a break would be nice and how often are we not gonna have the kids underfoot?"

"A break would be nice. Let's see what's playing."

"I got it," he said and pulled up the screen so he could read it out loud. "There's not a lot I want to see, why don't you choose."

"Ok, give me some names." She got off the couch and planted herself squarely in his lap.

"There's the King's Speech."

"I heard it was good."

He nodded, "same here. There's the Fighter."

"Is that the one with Christian Bale. I love him."

"Joy, there's also the Social Network."

"Um…no." She crossed her arms, "I do not want to see a movie about facebook."

"Why not? You're on it all the time. You and Arthur talk on the damm thing for hours." Dom said clearly confused.

"Imagine two hours of online chatting. No thank you. Besides I have no interest in how it was created. I prefer films that make me think. Is that's all there is?"

"How about Winter Bone? Eames said it was really great."

"Eames is picky. I guess that would be ok."

"Ok? We don't have to see it if you don't want to. This is your night sweetheart."

Ariadne got off his lap and sat back on the couch. "I don't really want to go anywhere tonight. I'd actually like to just stay home and veg out."

Dom put down his phone and stared at her. "But you were just saying that you're always cooped up and that I don't take you anywhere."

"I didn't really mean that. I can't complain about you when I haven't really been available either and I won't be for a while not with my year-end exams coming up soon."

He sighed and sat with her. "So what do we do with this night of freedom?" She shrugged. "You really want to stay home?"

"Yeah, the Elliot job worked my last nerve."

"Alright, I'll start dinner and we'll watch a movie here, you pick."

She instantly got up and begun searching his small movie collection. "I don't know that I'll find anything not animated but I'll try."

He laughed. It was true. Phillippa and James had long since been the reason any movies were bought. He actually couldn't remember the last movie he'd seen that didn't involve some sort of singing.

"I really wish I had brought my movies with me. There'd be more to choose from." She muttered and nearly disappeared into the tv cabinet as she pulled out every Disney movie known to man.

"I resent that," he said coming back from the kitchen, skillet in hand.

"Resent all you want. It's true. Your collections sucks." She stuck her tongue out and he rolled his eyes.

"I told you we could have moved all your stuff in last week but you wanted to wait so it's your own fault." He said and returned to the kitchen.

"We agreed this weekend plus I promised Eames he could help." She said stopping her search long enough to wander into the kitchen.

"You know he's probably gonna go through your clothes." Dom turned and began drizzling oil into the pan.

"All my under things are here. So there's nothing but sweats and a pair of your boxers left."

Unfortunately for Dom he had just eaten a slice of the tomatoes Ariadne had begun cutting when she had said that and she had to get up quickly and thump him on the back.

"What are my boxers doing at your house?" he rasped.

"You spent the night. It was last St. Patrick's. Don't you remember?"

Dom lowered the flame to medium and placed two very nicely seasoned steaks on the pan. "I don't."

"That's cause we were both too bombed to make it here. It was when you drunkenly confessed you loved me and I threw up on you and then passed out."

"I remember the upchucking." He had no recollection of what the hell she was saying. "So how did my boxers stay there again?"

"I felt bad for upchucking on you and I drove here to get you clothes. You took a shower and I put your clothes to wash. They just stayed behind and I've been using them since."

"Do you notice that our whole relationship is based on you or me making an ass of yourselves in front of the other?"

She laughed and handed him the cut vegetables to pile on top of the still cooking steak. "Yeah, its why Eames sticks around. He says we're great entertainment."

"Apparently. Well this should be done soon, pick out a movie yet?"

"No, I told you most of them suck and the rest I've seen."

"They can't all suck Ariadne. Show me." He commanded but it was hard to take him seriously with a white and pink apron.

"I will, Dominic." she replied sarcastically, thinking the whole time that she had to buy him a manlier apron, if such a thing existed, as well as hiding the current pink monstrosity from Phillipa, who had picked it out.

Dom really was a pushover sometimes.

She waited till he was in the room with her before she once again sat in front of the cabinet and shoved aside the towers of animation. She pulled out the remaining twelve titles. "The Departed-seen it, the Beach-seen it. Basketball Diaries-saw bits of it. Shutter Island-gave me nightmares. Aviator-too long, wouldn't even want to see it. I'm seeing a pattern here," she said and began to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked.

"You sure it was Mal that was the fan?"

"Positive, why do you ask?"

"I just can't believe how many Leonardo movies you own. I'm just glad they're not all him otherwise I'd lose all respect for you…oh I haven't seen this one."

"Which one?" he said and leaned over her shoulder. "Titanic?"

"Yeah, I've never seen it." She flipped it over and read the back.

"You haven't seen it?" he asked.

"No, why are you so surprised?"

"Come on, you'd have to been a teenager when the whole craze started. Even I saw it."

"Closet Leo fan."

He scowled, "no but Mal was. She made me take her to see it at least a half a dozen times."

"Why?"

"She loved his hair," he said and got up to check on the steak. He turned off the heat and was plating when she came in after him.

"She loved his hair? Must have been some hell of a crush." She muttered and looked at the box again. "It is very nice and feathery. I could see—"

Dom made some grumbled comment and she stared at him for a second before she burst out laughing. "Oh my god. I get it now." Ariadne took one look at his perpetually slicked back do and giggled, she actually giggled.

Dom had never heard her giggle. Laugh and mock yes, giggle no. It was so un-Ariadne-like. It was scaring him a bit. "What?"

"I bet if you didn't add so much gel to your hair, you'd kind of look like him."

"I wore my hair that way when I met Mal after that movie I began to wear it this way."

"I'm sure," she said and muffled another giggle at his annoyed expression.

"Do you want to see the movie or not?"

"Oh, yeah. I have to now."

She grabbed her plate and practically skipped to the living room. Honestly she was as bad as his kids. No wonder they got along so well.

Almost two hours later Dominic was the one laughing. Ariadne not being the typical girl was quite vocal about things that bothered her in general and this movie had not been the exception. So far she had been unable to keep herself from voicing what she thought of the characters, their decisions and how they were arriving at them.

"That is a stupid girl."

Dominic had learned twenty minutes into the movie that she would explain her remarks without any prompting from him.

"Come on, she just slept with the man, what like two seconds ago. How is it she doesn't believe him?"

"I don't know. Would you believe him?"

"Of course. He's my man."

Dom struggled to keep from laughing, "your man?"

"…you know what I mean and what kind of girlfriend gives up so easily?"

"You weren't my girlfriend and you didn't give up, care to explain?"

"That was different. Shut up." She said and leaned back against him. She felt his body shake but she was not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her blush. **'Stupid man.'**

They watched as Rose struggled through the frigid water until she came upon the hapless Jack cuffed to the pipe. "See if she had believed him, he wouldn't have been down there."

"That's probably true but then they'd have no movie." He said and lied down so she could pillow her head on his chest.

"I guess." She conceded.

Twenty minutes later she was squirming. He was actually quite proud of the fact that she'd kept her comments to herself for so long. "Just say it."

"About time she did something on her own."

"Why am I not surprised that you approve of her jumping back on." He muttered throwing a blanket on top of them.

"You don't?" she asked propping herself up on her elbows to look at him.

"She just squandered his effort to save her, now that is stupid."

"Typical man. Always has to be the tragic hero. I bet the director is a guy. Why should she let him sacrifice himself for her."

"The director is a man and its not tragic, its noble and why would she assume he wasn't going to make it?"

"It's not noble. Come on, did you see the look he gave her? Then the flare exploding behind him, it practically gave him a halo, can we say foreshadowing? Besides he would have jumped for her, why shouldn't she return the favor?"

He had to agree she had a point.

'_You jump, I jump right?'_

"See, my point exactly." She settled back down and he wondered how pissed she'd be when she found out how the movie ended.

'_You're so stupid, Rose. You're so stupid._'

"Figures." She muttered.

Dom made no comment. As the movie continued he was thinking about how different Ariadne was from Mal. He had never compared them before he saw no need. After all Mal, as much as he still missed her, was a part of his life that was now over.

Ariadne whom he loved and respected was his present and soon to be future. They were polar opposites in almost all ways and it had been this movie of all things to show him how much he hadn't appreciated his Architect.

Sure he showed her he loved her and everybody told her how much he did but in the year and half they had been dating, he'd only told her he loved her once and that was on her birthday. He had assumed that she knew since she seemed to know everything else about him.

The great ship had sunk and they were now in the water. Jack was dying but he was reassuring Rose that she would die an old lady warm in her bed not here and not now. He made her promise.

Dom leaned and realized that Ariadne was not asleep, as he had supposed. Instead silent tears were sliding off her face but her eyes did not acknowledge him. They were glued to the screen where Rose had just rolled over and realized that Jack was not answering.

He remained quiet and pretended that he didn't hear her trying not to sniffle. He just held her and watched as Rose was saved and then asked her name.

'_Dawson, Rose Dawson.' _

Ariadne sighed and he guessed that like Mal, she taught that part was romantic. He personally saw it as trivial but then he was tired and he just wanted the movie to end so they could go to bed. The sofa was beginning to get uncomfortable.

The old woman finished her story and then when everybody was asleep she tossed the Heart of the Ocean. Then as predicted she died in her sleep, an old woman.

"An old woman, dying alone. Filled with regret." Ariadne whispered and got up from the couch and slammed into the bathroom leaving Dom in the darkened living room by himself.

Her reaction confused him and he got up quickly to find out what had happened. "Ariadne?"

"I'm fine." She said but he could hear the tears in her voice.

He tried the doorknob but she had locked the door. He knew that unlike Mal, it was better not to push her and just let her tell him in her own time. "I know but I'll be out here anyway."

He stepped away at the same time that she opened the door. She moved out of the lighted bathroom and into the weak light of the rolling credits. "She gave up. She could have talked to him. She should have refused to stay on the board alone. They could have both been in the water."

"Then they would have both died from the cold." He explained.

"At least they would have been together, and there were other people in the water. She said they pulled out six; they could have pulled out seven. She didn't have to leave him behind. I went with you but in the end I left you behind too."

"She had to survive the same way that you had to leave to catch the kick."

"I left you, I shouldn't have. What if you hadn't woken up? What if you had stayed in your own mind? I couldn't have bared it, Dom I couldn't have."

He took her in his arm. "How long have you been carrying this around?"

"For a while."

"That's what your night terrors have been about? You've been reliving the job."

She nodded miserably. "Sometimes the nightmares keep me awake, I didn't think you'd noticed since you're such a heavy sleeper."

"We promised no more secrets after the Peretti job." He said looking into her eyes.

"I know but you were still healing I couldn't burden you with my problems and I thought I was ok." She sniffed. She couldn't believe she'd broken down like that. That was one of the reasons she hated tragic romances. She was an artist and no matter how much she hid it, she had a sensitive soul and those kinds of things hit her close.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you to see it."

She looked up into his shadowed face, "you had no way of knowing this would happen. I didn't know and in all honesty I should have fessed up earlier. Besides I was the one that insisted on seeing it. It was a good movie but I don't like the ending. He should have been happy with her. "

"He was."

"Are you? Do you still miss her?"

"Yes. I am very happy but once in a while I do miss her but not like..."

"Can we clean up tomorrow?" she asked changing the subject.

"Yeah. Let me turn off the TV and put the dishes in the sink. You go to bed." He kissed her and she gratefully went to their room.

Dominic put the dishes in the sink ran water over them and placed them in the dishwasher. He turned off the TV and looked at the cover of the DVD, perhaps he understood Mal's attachment to the characters a bit better now.

He certainly understood Ariadne a little more.

By the time he was done she was already in the bed breathing deeply. He undressed quietly, changed, brushed his teeth and curled up next to her. She shifted her body instinctively looking for his warmth. He pulled the blanket up higher onto her shoulder and kissed her exposed forehead.

"What made you finally let go?" she asked quietly.

"I couldn't live with her. I couldn't give up and Saito reminded me of my purpose."

"Your kids."

"My kids, my former father in law. My best friend, my new employer and this annoying therapist."

"I was not annoying." She said indignant.

"But you don't deny being a therapist?"

"I prefer counsel."

"Ariadne, you shouldn't let the ending bother you. He was happy that she got to live a long happy life. I was happy you jumped. You deserved to get out even if I never did. I couldn't take your reality away like I did mine."

"But you came back."

"So did she."

"She did?"

"You got up before the end."

"What happened?"

"Get up and see." Dom slid out of the bed and took her hand and led her out to the living room. He turned on the TV and once he located the remote, Dom sat and pulled her next to him. "Watch."

The old woman died and a succession of pictures was shown on her mantle. "It's not getting any better." She said laying her head on his shoulder.

"Just wait, grumpy."

The screen went semi dark and then panned down to the waters below to the wreck of the Titanic. The view went inside the ship were it was restored to its original elegance. A man opened the door and there in all its glory was the grand staircase.

Characters stood all around it and the top of the stairs was... "Jack."

Jack turned and extended his hand out to the young again Rose. She took his hand and they kissed. The crowd applauded and the screen panned out to the ceiling and faded out.

"She came back."

"I think she took too long." Ariadne said still not fully satisfied with it.

"I was more determined than her, especially when I realized that I had fallen for you. I came back to rebuild my life and maybe get the happy ending that was stolen."

"You had those thoughts back then?"

"I had an idea and once it took hold of my brain I didn't want it to go away. I didn't want you to live without me."

"You never said anything."

"I know but I had to let you have your space. I wanted it to be your decision, not my persuasion and I had to learn how to be on my own again too."

"The ending still sucks." She said returning to her earlier mood. "I'd have given the rock to my granddaughter. Do you think he might have knocked her up and that was his granddaughter?"

"She could be."

"So maybe he did live on."

"I don't see why not. I kinda like that."

"Stop humoring me." She pretended to sulk and got kissed.

"I'll stop on the condition that you don't keep anymore secrets. If you have any nightmares tell me, I'll help you. I promise."

"Ok I'll tell you. Incidentally how did you bring back Saito and get your kick?"

"I shot him and then jumped."

"You jumped?" she said pushing herself up so she could look into his eyes.

"You jumped so I jumped."

She smiled and reached up to ruffle his hair so it hung in his face. "Happy Valentine's Day, Jack."

He grinned but made no move to push it back like he'd normally would, "Happy Valentine's Day. Speaking of..." he reached over to one of the side tables and pulled a small box out of the drawer.

"I thought we said no presents." She said eagerly tearing at the paper.

"I lied." He replied but was glad that it didn't dampen her enthusiasm.

"What is it?"

"Open it and you'll see."

With the wrapping undone Ariadne took off the top and unearthed a beautiful silver necklace with a silver rabbit.

"A rabbit?"

"They're lucky."

"Are they?"

"Aren't you one in the Chinese Zodiac?"

"How?"

"Arthur." They both said.

"Help me put it on." He took the chain and she lifted her hair.

"Do you like it?" he asked kissing her nape.

"I do. Thank you for everything."

He smiled and she couldn't help but tease him, "so does that make me your lucky charm?"

"It does. Ready for bed?" he asked getting up from the couch.

Ariadne fully reclined on the couch and spread her robe, "I'm feeling lucky."


End file.
